Electrical terminal 100 disclosed in Japanese Design Registration No. 883975 is universally known as a terminal for flexible flat electrical cables, i.e., cables in which the conductor is flat and flexible. As shown in FIG. 9, terminal 100 is constructed as follows: i.e., the conductor of a flat cable (not shown) is positioned between a base plate 102 and a clamping plate 104 extends from the base plate 102; then, the clamping plate 104 is closed, and a securing member 106 at an end of clamping plate 104 is bent and superimposed on an undersurface of the base plate 102 so that electrical connection with the flat cable is accomplished.
Furthermore, a construction in which a flat conductor cable is connected to an electrical contact, which has a crimping member is described in Japanese Utility Model Application No. 7-47810. A crimping member is caused to pierce the cable; afterward, an end is bent toward the cable so that electrical connection with the cable is accomplished.
In the terminal described in the Japanese Design Registration, a pressure connection is performed at the end portion of the long, slender clamping plate 104; accordingly, the intermediate portion of the clamping plate 104, which constitutes an electrical-connecting section is removed from the pressure-connection section, therefore it cannot apply a large contact pressure. Furthermore, there is a danger that the central portion of the clamping plate 104 will bulge outward, so that there are problems in terms of the reliability of the electrical connection. Furthermore, the pressure-connection force with respect to the cable is insufficient, so that the problem of a weak cable-holding force also arises.
Furthermore, although a high contact pressure is obtained in the Japanese Utility Model Application, there is a danger that the crimping member will scrape and damage the conductor of the cable.